Twins of Yreshia
by TheStarfish
Summary: When Erak abducts a princess from Yreshia, he doesn't expect the turn his life is going to take. And when the other princess tries to rescue her sister, she gets help from an unexpected source. ErakxOC and HoracexOC
1. Kidnapped

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own "Ranger's Apprentice" and the universe of the series. I only own the country Yreshia and it's citizens. All hail the mighty John Flanagan for creating the magnificent piece of art which is "Ranger's Apprentice"! And sorry I posted this so abruptly, but a certain friend of mine REALLY wanted me to XD Yes I'm blaming you Phoenixicia24!

* * *

_Kidnapped_

* * *

_**Once upon a time, far away, in the country of Yreshia, twin princesses were born. Though they looked almost exactly alike, only their eyes being different colours, but their personalities, as they grew up, turned out very different.**_

_**Edel, the oldest twin, became energetic, stubborn, protective and strong, the natural warrior with talents for all kinds of fighting styles. It was almost as if the kingdom had a prince in Edel, for she was strong enough to beat most of the Royal Guard.**_

_**But Freya, her younger twin, was the dream of every kingdom. A kind, gentle, polite and clever young woman who read many books and remembered everything she had ever read.**_  
_**As they grew up, Yreshia was a peaceful and beautiful nation, worthy of it's two princesses. But one day, when the first spring flowers blossomed, defying the remaining snow, Freya was kidnapped.**_

* * *

,,**You must be kidding! Freya is my sister, I have to go after her! Those lowly Skandians will not have her,**" a furious voice sounded throughout the halls of the royal palace of Yreshia, as Edel, the oldest princess, argued with her parents. Edel wished to go after her sister, to the ends of the earth if necessary, but the king and queen could not bear to lose another beloved daughter.

,,**Edel, please be reasonable. We have sent a large part of the Royal Army to find Freya, but you must remain here,**" the king said patiently as the queen sat in tears. Their beloved Freya had taken a walk together with her white tiger, Arajha, but only Arajha returned. Arajha was the most loyal guardian Freya had, but Freya had an unfortunate habit of leaving Arajha behind at times, because the tiger was terrified of water, as any sane cat, big or small, should be.

Edel had thought about how those Skandians could have taken Freya without being attacked by Arajha. She came to the conclusion that Freya must have left Arajha in her favourite clearing in order to get some water to drink. And when Arajha realized that Freya didn't come back she must have run back to the palace to alarm Edel and the parents.

,,**Very well... But if they do not return with good news, I will leave with Arajha, with or without your blessing,**" Edel responded angrily, leaving the throne room. Arajha followed her with same aura of anger and rage around it as Edel had. ,,**Arajha, would you be able to follow Freya's scent trail? We're leaving immediately.**"

* * *

Meanwhile, in a position her older sister and beloved guardian could never save her from, Freya was sighing deeply. She was on a ship, it was the Skandians that had abducted her after all. And Arajha, the aqua-phobic tiger she was, would never be able to save her from this. She looked up when a Skandian entered. She had heard his name was Erak Starfollower, the captain of the ship. The name Starfollower was probably given to him because of good navigation skills.

,,**You're Edel?**" he asked and Freya shook her head. ,,**I am Freya, her younger sister,**" she explained and Erak looked surprised. Freya couldn't help but feel slightly satisfied at that point. ,,**But you were with the white tiger,**" he protested and suddenly the dilemma the captain was in dawned on Freya. She couldn't help but laugh silently. ,,**You believed Arajha, the tiger, belonged to Edel?**" she asked and Erak sat on a chair at the same oak table Freya was positioned at. Freya was the most diplomatic of the princesses, so when she had realized, that it was impossible for her to win physically against the Skandians, she had played the nice girl. Hence she wasn't being kept in a matter that showed she was expected to run away.

,,**It doesn't?**" Erak asked slowly and Freya shook her head again. ,,**Arajha was a gift Edel gave me as a guardian in her stead, but Edel does occasionally train with Arajha,**" Freya explained and Erak sighed deeply. Freya guessed that for some reason, the Skandian had been ordered to abduct Edel. And the info they had accumulated had apparently said that the white guardian was Edel's. That was the big flaw in the plan, as that would be the only real clue to recognize Edel from Freya.

,,**What do you need my sister for?**" Freya asked and Erak groaned. ,,**A curious prisoner, just what I needed. Svengal, turn the ship around! We're going back to that blasted Yreshia,**" he yelled and Freya stood up. ,,**What do you need my sister for! Depending on your answer, you may not have to go back,**" she demanded and Erak looked at her with thunder in his eyes. Freya felt a stir of fear in her young heart, but she stood stubbornly, demanding an answer. The Skandian captain seemed to sense the young princess' stubbornness. He didn't like it, but he gave her an answer.

,,**We were ordered to capture Edel of Yreshia for ransom money,**" he promptly stated and Freya stared at Erak. Erak found the stare strange. She seemed like she was doubting him or something like that. In reality, Freya was astonished by the lack of intel the Skandians had in Yreshia affairs. She shook her head. ,,**Why Edel?**" she asked slowly. If by revealing classified secrets of the Royal House she could protect Edel, then so be it.

,,**I am the one worth the most ransom money. I am to become the next Queen of Yreshia,**" Freya said slowly and Erak looked at Freya with new eyes. Perhaps this young one would be a better catch. Ragnak wouldn't care if the name was Freya or Edel, as long as he got money, and if the little princess was speaking the truth, Ragnak would be more than satisfied with this one.

,,**Do you have proof? Trust me, I do not want to go back to that blasted kingdom, but I want to know that we're not going home with a maid who conveniently enough looks just like those twins.**" Freya had to acknowledge that Erak was right. She didn't know how to proof she was who she was though. Well, it would of course all depend on how much the Skandians knew about her. ,,**First, tell me what you know about me. I need to know what I should do to prove my identity, or I might be able to pull a trick on you,**" she said and Erak sighed. Well, the part he had heard about Freya being diplomatic sure hit the spot with this one.

,,**You're diplomatic, not a good fighter and apparently, the white tiger is yours. That's about it,**" he admitted and Freya sighed deeply. She then gently tapped her temple with a slim finger, smiling all the while. She let the countless etiquette- and politics-lessons flow into her. Do not show doubt or nervousness, and any situation can be turned to your favour. Never let go of the smile, as long as the other part can be talked to their senses. But also make sure that the smile is genuine.

In order to ensure the last part, she thought of her current situation: If I can convince the Skandians that what I say is indeed true, then they will not return to Yreshia, possibly murdering many citizens and guards in their attempt to capture Edel. The mere thought of saving Edel from a fate like this was enough to make her smile.

,,**Well, I can tell you anything Edel has accomplished since the age of four, anything about Yreshian politics, the finer points of governing and I can answer practically every question concerning ethics, mathematics or science. I can tell you the theory behind warfare, farming, crafting and even sailing a ship, however I will not be able to actually do any of these things,**" Freya offered and Erak seemed like her talking annoyed him. Freya felt something like fear for the large Skandian Captain across from her. She was overwhelmingly aware of his arms, the size of over dimensional wine barrels, which seemed to be strong enough, to snap her thin physique in multiple pieces with a simple movement of them.

,,**Very well then, I'll believe you. We'll take you back to Hallasholm, where Oberjarl Ragnak will send a ransom note to the King and Queen of Yreshia,**" Erak said with a grumble and left the room. Freya was not sure if she had understood the situation correctly: Ragnak, the apparent leader of the Skandians, wanted to kidnap her and sent a ransom note, but Captain Erak Starfollower did not like this. As far as Freya knew, this was also a very un-skandian way of doing things. Skandians were known for plundering and thieving, not kidnapping nobles. This was all very confusing for Freya.

Politics were easy: One country decided on one kind of politics and stuck to that. However, Ragnak, the apparent Oberjarl of the Skandians, were breaking out of the Skandians' way of doing things. It was very confusing indeed. Freya sighed deeply as she stood up, walking to a window, or what was the closest you could get to a window on a ship. She could see the dark blue-ish green sea beneath her and the waves gently rocked the ship. If it wasn't because she was used to sailing to go on diplomatic trips, she would most likely have gotten seasick by now.

She sighed and decided to leave the cabin. Another good point about playing the good girl was, they did not bother locking the door. First off, where would she run to? She was caught on a ship with no method of escaping. Second, even if she had a method of escaping, it would mean outrunning about twenty strong Skandians in order to actually escape. That was a... Well, Freya did not find that idea very agreeable. She would most certainly meet a very harsh and painful fate.

I am a coward, she thought with a wry smile, Edel would chase freedom with no doubt or fear in her mind. Freya felt weak whenever she saw Edel fight, and she knew herself that she could not do anything. Freya shook her head, feeling her long, blonde hair follow the movement. She saw at the Skandians at the deck, and they looked at her as well. Freya sighed deeply. Was all Skandians really that large! That should be physically impossible. She was almost scared to see the women!

,,**So you're the chick, eh?**" she heard a voice say and she turned around, startled. A large (surprise) Skandian stood behind her, but a smile covered his face. ,,**I find it hard to believe they'll pay so much to get you back,**" he said with a grin and Freya shrugged. ,,**The pain of a princess, I guess?**" she asked curiously and the Skandian laughed at her. ,,**Guess so,**" he agreed.

,,**Svengal, get to your post!**" Freya and the Skandian looked up and saw Erak. And Erak didn't seem pleased with his crewman for talking to Freya. Noted girl smiled slowly as Svengal walked to his post, shrugging. She slowly walked up the stairs to where Erak was, taking BIG steps. It was obvious the ship was build for Skandians and no one else, especially the stairs. Erak looked at Freya when she finally got on the platform and she smiled.

,,**I hope you ain't planning to signal a ship or somethin',**" he retorted and Freya shook her head. ,,**Yreshia doesn't have a fleet,**" she informed him with a smile and Erak raised an eyebrow, though still focusing on his job. ,,**Really? How do you conquer then?**" he asked, though he didn't seem interested in the least. Freya smiled. ,,**We fly**"

Now THAT was something that got Erak's attention. He stared at the young girl, apparently trying to figure out whether she was screwing with him or something. Just his facial expression was enough to make Freya almost double up laughing. ,,**You're lying**" he accused and Freya shook her head with a smile. ,,**No, honestly. So if you're worried about Yreshian soldiers chasing you, you should look in the sky,**" she advised him and left the platform again, while looking over the railing on the water.

Erak didn't know what to think. The young princess had proven herself quite honest and easy to handle, but if she did speak the truth, then Erak was very confused and alarmed. How did they fly in the sky? Would they be able to follow them? Erak sighed as he returned his focus to the task of steering his ship towards Skandia. The problems the princess had given him would be solved later.

Freya sat on the railing and smiled at the wide blue sky. She wished she hat gotten her wings with her, but then again, if she was just to be used as ransom, they probably wouldn't treat her badly. She looked around at the many rowers and smiled. She would never be able to be that helpful. She was going to rule Yreshia sometime in the future, sure, but that would just be making a lot of decisions, nothing that actually helped anyone. She sighed deeply, moving a lock of blonde hair behind her ear. Maybe she could get married to Edel? She giggled at the ridiculousness of that thought. Edel should be chosen as the future queen. She could do more than Freya. Freya quickly shook her head, hitting her cheeks. ,,**Come on Freya, don't get depressed now! You need all the luck and wit you can gather for this,**" she reminded herself as she stood up on the railing. A risky business, though the waves were very small at the moment.

,,**Get down from there,**" the Skandian Svengal ordered and Freya quickly nodded, jumping down. No good would come of making enemies with the Skandians over something as stupid as standing on the railing, that was for sure!

* * *

Edel sighed deeply as she and Arajha quietly walked through the forest. With Arajha's aquaphobia they had to go to Skandia on foot! That was quite a detour, but Edel didn't dare leave Arajha at home. Firstly: Arajha was too useful, both as a weapon and as a travel companion. Second: Edel wasn't much for ships herself. That was why Edel and Arajha was currently going through The Forest of Slumbers in order to cross the Thunderous Mountains, then hoping that it was ebb so they could walk to Gallica. It was a long shot, but it was the only way.

Edel smiled as she pet Arajha. The absence of Freya was evident in Arajha's behaviour. She seemed moodier than normal. Edel looked up at the sky and sighed. ,,**Freya is okay. She's probably playing the nice girl so they won't hurt her. We're counting on her to do that, after all.**"

The tiger wasn't much for stopping and resting that night, but after a serious staring contest between the two, Arajha laid down, very unwillingly. Edel sat with her back against the large tiger and looked up at the dark night sky. She smiled ironically. ,,**The one night Freya can't sing us lullabies is the night we need one, huh?**" she asked slowly, closing her eyes and putting her cape on top of herself. Arajha looked around, obviously worried about the absence of her mistress, and clearly only wishing for the safe return of said person.

As Edel had predicted she couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes Freya came up in the darkness. She bit her lip. What did the Skandians do to her? Edel didn't know much about anything outside of Yreshia, so she had no idea what kind of people the Skandians were. She smiled sadistically. All she knew was that if even a hair had been removed from Freya's head she would feed the responsible Skandian to Arajha! And she was sure the tiger would eat him with delight!

With this happy scenery in mind Edel decided to knock herself out so she could get some sleep. And that was exactly what she did. Very few had the self-control to hit themselves that hard, but Edel was among the few.


	2. Skandians and a Princess

_DISCLAIMER_: I do NOT own "Ranger's Apprentice" and the universe of the series. I only own the country Yreshia and it's citizens. All hail the mighty John Flanagan for creating the magnificent piece of art which is "Ranger's Apprentice"! I don't own "Strangers like me", sung by Phil Collins in the Disney movie Tarzan. I just edited it a little ^_^

* * *

_Skandians and a Princess_

* * *

Freya slowly opened her eyes, sighing. She had been awake for a while, and even though she had felt the silent rocking of the ship, she had still hoped to wake up and find herself back at the castle. Then again, she was sure she was going to keep hoping that. She smiled, sitting up. It was amazing there was a cabin on this ship! She hadn't seen a single Skandian enter the cabin to sleep, but then again... What, was this the captain's cabin? But then, why didn't Erak come in? Freya shook her head, deciding not to wonder about that.

,,**Huh? Oh, you're awake.**" Freya looked up, immediately breaking out in a smile. For some weird reason, she had developed a fondness for the Skandian known as Svengal. He seemed sympathetic, if that was the correct word. ,,**Good morning Svengal. Captain Starfollower asked you to check on me?**" she asked with a smile and Svengal grinned. ,,**Breakfast,**" he explained, almost magically pulling out some biscuits, bread, carrots and a cask. Freya raised an eyebrow. ,,**There is not wine in that cask, right?**" she asked sternly and Svengal quickly shook his head. ,,**No no, fresh water,**" he quickly assured her and she smiled. ,,**Well then, thank you,**" she said happily, standing up. She had taken the sheet from the bed in the cabin and made a primitive dress out of it, since her other dress wasn't comfortable sleeping in. She had gotten Erak's permission of course. Svengal whistled with a smile. ,,**Is that the sheets?**" he asked and Freya smiled. ,,**It was, until it met some thread and a needle,**" she confirmed, blushing lightly when Svengal began praising her abilities in sewing. She bowed when he finished. ,,**Thank you for the praise, Svengal. And thank you for the breakfast,**" she quickly said, sitting down on one of the humongous chairs. It seemed everything concerning Skandians was made twice it's original size in order to match the giant people. Freya wasn't short or anything, but her feet barely touched the ground when she sat on one of those chairs!

Freya smiled when Svengal put the breakfast on the table and excused himself and she looked at the odd breakfast. Bread, biscuits and carrots? Oh well, one time had to be the first, right? And if she had to be honest, it tasted great! She hadn't gotten dinner last night, what with the whole kidnapping stuff, and food tasted so GOOD when you were hungry! Once Freya had eaten so much she thought she would burst, she looked around. She didn't feel like changing her dress to be honest, and there were no teachers around to tell her to take 'that hideous peasant-dress off' and put on the princess gown on, so she ended up deciding to put her princess gown neatly on her sleeping spot and exit the cabin, only wearing the white dress she had made of bedsheets. Well, and the crown. She still hadn't taken the ivory white hairband off that signified her status as a royal member of the Yreshian people off. Of course, the Skandians didn't see any significance to the hairband, but they had proven they did not know much about Yreshia.

She stared at the Skandians, who also stared at her. She smiled nervously. ,,**At some point, you've got to lose interest, right?**" she muttered silently, turning around to flee onto the platform. She had realized that they didn't watch her once she stood in Erak's shadow. When Freya came onto the platform, Erak turned his eyes to her and raised an eyebrow. Svengal was right, she was amazing with sewing. He couldn't believe she had made that dress with the bedsheets from the cabin. She smiled nervously. ,,**They will lose interest, right Captain?**" she asked and he looked down at his rowers, who immediately turned their eyes away from the captive and back to their job. He smiled roughly and nodded. ,,**Oh, they will, believe me. When we get to Hallasholm, they'll never see you again after all,**" he explained and Freya stood next to Erak, looking out at the water.

,,**What will happen to me once we get to Hallasholm? Will I be locked up in a dungeon or something?**" she asked slowly, leaning against the railing that made sure no one could fall from the platform down to the lower deck, unless pushed. Erak looked on her back, sighing. ,,**I guess you'll just be kept out of harms way until the ransom comes and then one of us will be sent back to Yreshia with you,**" he said and Freya looked back at him, the wind blowing her long, blonde hair around. Freya smiled when she saw Erak's face, looking mighty displeased honestly. He didn't know more than she did. ,,**I guess I'll find out when we get there then,**" she said with a smile as she ran down the stairs, deciding to watch the others work, to see if there was anything constructive she could do while they were heading for Hallasholm.

* * *

Erak had never met someone quite like the young Yreshian princess. She took everything with a smile, did what she could and took her situation with a calmness that actually scared him a bit. She was a hostage, taken by a dozen of Skandians and she just smiled and walked around as if she was on vacation. But he couldn't decide whether she was the most annoying person he had ever met or if he actually admired her a bit... She didn't have any fighting experience, she probably couldn't fight if it meant her life, yet she seemed like she had no fear in her at all. But when he had entered the cabin yesterday evening she had cried in her sleep, so he guessed there was fear in her somewhere. He sighed deeply, concentrating on his job again. He just barely saw Freya begin to talk to Svengal out of the corner of his eye and growled beneath his breath. The princess' ability to become friends with his crew was getting on his nerves!

* * *

Freya watched the Skandians to their jobs and sighed, when she realized none of the jobs were fit for her. Either she was too weak or she was too short. When she pointed this out for Svengal his laughter boomed so loud, she had to cover her ears. But something she HAD accomplished during her day of un-usefullness: She had made friends out of the Skandian crew! Svengal was the first, then another one called Keld, then Jenge and lastly Thom. They were all huge, of course, but it would seem that between Skandians there were possibilities of knowing the difference. Svengal always had this characteristic grin on his face, Keld had a blonde beard split in two braids, Jenge had a scar on his cheek, which was well-hidden by his huge beard, which apparently was mandatory when you were a Skandian, and Thom was like one feet smaller than the rest of the Skandians, but also twice as broad and with twice as many muscles.

,,**Ah, Erak is just looking glumly at this. I'm quite sure Oberjarl Ragnar won't lock you up. Once he sees how easy you are holding hostage, I'm sure he'll let you walk around just like Erak does,**" Thom assured Freya and she smiled from her place at the railing. Thom was a rower, like most of the Skandian crew, and she could easily talk to him from her position, since he sat right in front of her, rowing the ship. ,,**But it is easier fleeing from a city than a ship, even a fortified city like Hallasholm,**" Freya protested and Thom laughed. ,,**A chick like you? Naah, you stand out allright. Any Skandian would stop you from leaving Hallasholm,**" Thom said with a cheeky grin and Freya puffed out her cheeks.

,,**Thom, what are you doing! Focus on your job,**" a booming voice ordered and Thom sighed with a smile. ,,**Captain's orders, Freya,**" he said with a smile and Freya nodded. ,,**Oh don't worry, I'll just go pester Keld. He doesn't seem busy,**" she quickly said, standing up and walking towards the poor blonde Skandian. The Skandian he talked to pointed at the young, mischievous-looking Princess and Keld turned around, sighing deeply. ,,**Erak already interrupted you?**" he commented with a sparkle in his blue eyes and Freya laughed. ,,**Hence I go to the only one of my friends who doesn't seem to be busy,**" she explained and Keld hastily looked around. A few minutes passed until he sighed in defeat. ,,**Nothin' around to busy myself with,**" he said with defeat in his voice and Freya smiled victoriously. ,,**See?**" she said with a grin and sat on a chest. Keld sat down next to her. Keld was on what the Skandians called 'break', which entailed in regaining one's strength until another rower needed the break. Freya didn't see what 'break' there was over it though, since most of the Skandians found some other kind of physical labour to do during this period of time. Keld just so happened to be so unlucky to be pestered by her, so tough luck.

,,**What did you talk about with Thom, eh?**" Keld asked slowly and Freya sighed deeply. ,,**I don't know what's going to happen to me when I come to Hallasholm. Captain Starfollower seems to believe that I'll be locked up and won't have the chance to see you guys again, but Thom says the Captain is just looking too glumly at everything,**" she explained slowly, looking down at the wooden 'floor' beneath her. A huge palm landed gently on her head, petting it. Keld was also the Skandian with the softest personality, or so Freya had experienced. He smiled. ,,**Don't worry about that, got ****that? You're easy to hold hostage, so Ragnak won't go through the trouble of locking you up,**" he comforted her and she smiled up at him, nodding. Keld wasn't sure why he felt the need to be nice to this one. Maybe it was something about the way she talked, but it was just easy to be friends with her, though Erak didn't seem to like her. Well, seen from Erak's point of view Freya was distracting his crew, so that was probably the most important part of his annoyance. Keld was so far away in his thoughts that Freya had to pinch his nose to gain his attention, after trying to talk to him multiple times.

,,**'At ich it?**" he asked and Freya giggled at the sound of his muffled voice and let go while doing so. He smiled patiently, nodding. ,,**Yes yes, very funny, what do you need me for?**" he asked, and Freya's laughter eventually died out. ,,**Captain Starfollower needs you,**" she pointed out, pointing to the annoyed Skandian up on the platform. Keld sighed deeply and stood up, leaving Freya to herself. Freya had Erak suspected for doing anything to ruin her attempts to make time fly while waiting for Hallasholm to come into view, but what could she do? She certainly didn't want to get on Erak's bad side, so she ended up going back to the cabin.

* * *

After Erak had told Keld to do something useful with his time rather than talk with the hostage, he couldn't keep a deep sigh in. This princess was dangerous! But at least it would seem she had decided to go back to the cabin. Perhaps she would stay in there until they arrived at Hallasholm? He could always hope... Then her four 'friends' could focus on their work! Erak didn't understand what the four crewmen thought was so special about the princess.

* * *

That evening Svengal approached Erak. ,,**It's about time for dinner. Who'll give Freya?**" he asked and Erak sighed deeply. ,,**I'll do it. You four will probably volunteer and if I send any of you, you won't be back out in the next hour!**" he said with a face that clearly said he wasn't happy with it. Svengal couldn't help but smile. Freya had an ability to either piss someone off or make someone like her from first sight. Erak was obviously of the first one. Erak went below deck to find some food for the hostage and then walked to the cabin. However, when he opened the door an absurd sight was before him. Freya had opened the window in the cabin, sat before it and sang.

_Whatever you do, I'll do it too_  
_Show me everything and tell me how_  
_It all means something_  
_And yet nothing to me_

_I can see there's so much to learn_  
_It's all so close and yet so far_  
_I see myself as people see me_  
_Oh, I just know there's something_  
_bigger around here_

_Every gesture, every move that they make_  
_Makes me feel like never before_  
_Why do I have_  
_This growing need to be among them_

_Oh, these emotions I never knew_  
_Of some other world far beyond my home_  
_Beyond the trees, aboe the clouds_  
_I see before me a new horizon_

_I'll come with you now to see your world_  
_Where there's beauty beyond my dreams_  
_Can you feel the things I feel_  
_Right now, with you_  
_Take my hand_  
_There's a world I need to know_

_I wanna know, can you show me_  
_I wanna know about these strangers like me_  
_Tell me more, please show me_  
_Something's familiar about these strangers like me_

,,**Oh, Captain Starfollower? Are you allright? You look like you've seen a ghost.**" Erak snapped out of his daze and nodded slowly. ,,**Oh... Yeah, I'm fine. Dinner,**" he mumbled, putting the food on the table and leaving the cabin, leaving a very confused Freya in the cabin.

Once Erak exited the cabin, he sighed deeply and ran his hand through his hair. ,,**Erak, what's wrong?**" Svengal asked curiously and Erak looked up at his friend. He shrugged slowly. ,,**That princess is insane,**" he muttered to himself, going onto the platform, the lyrics of her song still sticking to his brain. Svengal looked after him, wondering if his Captain had gone insane, and entered the cabin, looking curiously at Freya who sat at the table, eating. ,,**What did you say to the Captain?**" he asked, making Freya twice as confused as she already was.


	3. The Mountains must be Conquered

_DISCLAIMER_: I do NOT own "Ranger's Apprentice" and the universe of the series. I only own the country Yreshia and it's citizens. All hail the mighty John Flanagan for creating the magnificent piece of art which is "Ranger's Apprentice"! The lyrics in this chapter is a part of "Heart of the Sea" by Jolin Tsai ^^ It's Chinese.

* * *

_The Mountains Must Be Conquered_

Edel slowly opened her eyes, sighing. She had almost expected to wake up outside the castle, hearing Freya call for her because breakfast was going to be ready 'in a second'. But then again, she had hoped for the same every morning the past two weeks, ever since Arajha and her entered the Forest of Slumbers. From the sounds Arajha made it was obvious the tiger still hoped for that as well. ,,**Well, we can't do anything about it Arajha... Freya won't be able to discipline us if she isn't here, so how about we just get going and get her back fast?**" Edel said, mostly to herself, because the tiger probably couldn't understand human speech, though it sure sometimes seemed like it could!

Edel found some berries, fruits and edible roots here and there in the forest, and Arajha provided fresh meat for herself, though Edel would rather not share the rabbits that Arajha had lying in a pile next to her. Her white fur was stained with crimson blood around the mouth, and Edel swallowed. She didn't mind blood in a battle, but murder of small animals like rabbits still made her uneasy. Though it was probably just the way of nature...

The day passed too quickly. Edel spend most of the day on Arajha's back, riding through the forest as fast as the tiger could run. Which was very fast... Arajha had amazing stamina and muscle-power, which led her to be able to keep running for days if necessary. Edel had learned a thing or two in the palace though, and she stopped Arajha at times to take a quick nap about an hour long. Edel found it increasingly hard to sleep though. She may know all these things about survival in theory, but never had she been away from the palace for long enough to really practice it. Therefore, with her back aching and her mind fuzzy from bad sleep, she rode for longer and longer, sometimes actually falling asleep on Arajha quite a few times.

Arajha knew the feeling of sleeping human on her back, since Freya often took naps on her, so whenever she felt Edel drift off into sleep, she would slow down enough, so that Edel wouldn't fall off. Sometimes, when Arajha sensed extreme exhaustion from Edel, she would shake her body lightly so Edel fell with her head draped next to the tiger's shoulder, lying on her stomach on Arajha's back. Sometimes, in these momentary attacks of unconsciousness from Edel's side, Arajha would also lay down, taking a quick sleep when she felt the need.

But always, the tiger's thoughts were with her mistress, who was aboard the Skandian ship. And so were Edel's. Edel sighed deeply and relieved when they finally got out of the forest. The Forest of Slumbers was a maze once you entered, but Arajha knew her way in there, which was the only reason Edel had dared enter it. The eyesight and navigation abilities of a human could never help in that forest. Edel looked up at the Thunderous Mountains now. They were the natural border between Yreshia and Asrune, and many had died trying to climb them. Edel looked around her. She knew the miners of Asrune had dug a tunnel beneath the mountains, and that was what she was planning to use as means of travelling. Yreshian soldiers usually used wings to get past the Thunderous Mountains, though it was very dangerous because of the constant thunderclouds that were above the peaks.

Yreshia was a country that safeguarded it's secrets very well, and the wings were one of these secrets. Many aeons ago, an Yreshian builder had found a way to use aerodynamics and a special kind of contraption to transport goods and materials across long distances, using only the wind. This idea had been further investigated, and now the wings were the proud emblem of the Yreshian Royal Family. If Freya had her wings, she could have easily escaped from the Skandian ship. Freya was one of the most talented flyers in all of Yreshia, and all the soldiers were instructed by her when they studied at the Yreshian Academy of War, since being able to fly was something all Yreshian soldiers should be.

But Edel was afraid of heights. She'd flown once in her entire life, and it still haunted her nightmares. When it was absolutely necessary, she just played parasite and hang onto another flyer, but she couldn't fly herself. This was why she was rumoured to be 'The Riding Warrior of Yreshia', in Asrune at least. Or as they said: ,,Yezda Voin Kitaya"

As Edel and Arajha walked along the foot of the mountains, Edel kept an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. She had heard that the tunnel was closed off by a secret entrance, because bandits used it to cross from Asrune to Yreshia or the other way around, to escape capture in their homeland. That is why she was keeping an eye out for some part of rock that looked out of place, or a place where the vegetation wasn't the same, or other things like that. Quite hard work of course.

And to be honest, she was doing a very poor job. If it wasn't for Arajha's brilliant nose, they would never have found the tunnel. But Arajha could smell the damp air in the tunnel, and therefore she stopped in front of a large boulder. Edel bit her lip. How in the world was she going to move that thing? It was twice her height and thrice her weight, if she had to guess. She jumped down from Arajha's back, and looked at the boulder with an analysing eye. The boulder seemed strong, but there was a crack down the middle, just barely visible. Edel took her sword, the Qichang zhi Jian meaning Sword of Unison, and smiled wryly. Her sword was a katana, forged by the finest of Nihon-Ja's blacksmiths, and it was truly a blade unlike anything ever seen. She had asked for a sword that never needed to be sharpened, never broke and could cut through solid rock. An impossible request, you'd think...

But the blacksmiths of Nihon-Ja had succeeded, after many years of failed attempts. They had thought it impossible for her to wield, for the katana was six feet long and extremely thick and heavy, not Nihon-Ja-ish at all. But Edel could do anything she put her mind to, and after many months of training, the katana felt like an extension of her arm. She couldn't fight with any other sword now, because it was way too light. She raised her sword and looked doubtingly at the boulder. If the katana did not fail her now, then she would personally propose that the blacksmiths of Nihon-Ja was made official craftsmen of the Yreshian Army's weapons.

She took the right stance, took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Her ears tuned in to every sound around her, her legs steadied, her arms clenched the hold of her katana closely, and then... She brought the sword down. With a loud noise, as if a thunderbolt had hit the boulder, the boulder was slashed into halves. They fell to the sides, forming an opening into the tunnel.

Edel grinned happily, putting the katana in it's sheath. But in order to enter the tunnel, she had to turn sideways because the katana was too long to be able to pass while it was in it's sheath, going from her right shoulder to her left ankle. Six feet really was too long, once in a while. It was only a few inches more than her height, but still...

Arajha got in without a problem and Edel caught herself wondering if the tiger really was only a tiger, and not some kind of witch that could transform itself. In the end she decided it didn't matter, as long as she helped get Freya back.

~X~

Freya smiled, having found something useful she could do at last! She watched the sun set, colouring the seemingly endless sea a deep red and she heard a voice. ,,**Oi, kid! Time to work.**" She turned around, smiling at the Skandian who yelled. She nodded, running to him.

Her job was to give all the Skandians their food. It was actually quite tiring, since they ate what seemed to be giant portions, and after dealing maybe a fourth of the plates to the Skandians, her arms were already protesting. She decided she definitely would join Edel's training session when she got back to Yreshia. When she was halfway through the servings, her feet found some rope to trip her, and she screamed in surprise. She heard feet shuffling, and just before she hit the ground, a pair of big, muscular arms caught her and the food. The food was unharmed. Thank god, she thought to herself.

As she turned her face to thank the man who had caught her, her azure eyes widened. It was Erak... Erak had caught her. As Erak helped her back on her feet Svengal laughed. ,,**Take good care of our food, Freya,**" he teased and Freya made a face and stuck her tongue out at him, though she was still shaken. Erak had caught her... That was perhaps the last person she'd have imagined to catch her if she fell.

,,**If you want me to take good care of your food, then don't leave rope in places where chickens can trip,**" she come-backed and Svengal laughed, when he heard her use the nickname they had given her. Chick... Was it because she was so small and fragile-looking next to the mountains of men that was all around her right now? Because among Yreshians she certainly wasn't small. She was actually quite well-balanced on the height scale. With her 5"10 feet she wasn't the smallest person in the world, that was for sure. She had been told in History lessons that Yreshians used to be a very small people, usually no larger than 5"1, so she was happy.

When she was done dealing out the food, she returned to her cabin, thinking of what had passed earlier. She never expected Erak to catch her. He wasn't an unpleasant man at all, he just seemed to dislike her, because she kept distracting his crew in order to pass time. Actually, Erak was anything but unpleasant. He was kind, she just had the feeling, and he seemed like he was getting used to her, as they spent more and more time together on the ship. He had also let her get the bed in his cabin, as he said he liked sleeping with the rest of the Skandians, and as a royal hostage, he supposed she should be treated accordingly.

Freya sat on the bed, her feet dangling, because it was humongous like most of the Skandian furniture. She let her pale fingers run across the bedsheets and she couldn't help but sigh. She liked the Skandians, a lot, but she missed her home.

,,**Freya?**" She looked up and saw Erak in the door. She smiled, jumping down from the bed.

,,**Yes?**" she asked slowly, and Erak entered the cabin with a plate.

,,**Your turn,**" he said with a small smile, and Freya smiled proudly. It had taken some time, but slowly Erak had begun smiling to her. It made her happy when he did.

,,**Can I eat on the deck? It's boring to eat alone, and I suppose you have a ship to sail?**" she stated with glittering, blue eyes and Erak shrugged. At least he didn't have anything against her company. Erak carried the plate up to his station by the steering oar, and as he went back to work with leading the ship in the general direction of Hallasholm, Freya sat next to him on the ground and began eating her food. She was content enough. It was a very different experience for her to go through, and as they said: "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."

,,**How long will it be until we reach Hallasholm, Erak?**" she asked curiously and Erak looked thoughtful for a few seconds, until he answered her.

,,**If this speed keeps up, two days,**" he told her and Freya smiled a bit. So fast... She couldn't believe weeks had already passed. She wondered how Edel had reacted to her disappearance... Not good, she imagined. And she hadn't seen any Yreshian scouts in the sky, so she assumed her parents were waiting for ransom notes. Erak noticed her looking at the sky, and couldn't help but ask.

,,**Looking for saviours?**" Freya looked up at him and shook her head with a small smile. ,,**No. If father and mother had sent scouts after us, we would have seen them ages ago. Do not doubt Yreshians just because we do not possess ships,**" she said with a crooked smile, which suited her but didn't suit a princess at all.

,,**I wouldn't dream of it,**" Erak replied dryly, which the princess apparently found funny, since she began giggling. Erak snorted silently, before returning to his work with full concentration. Though he still heard it when Freya began singing:

,,**Xiang bai mu da pu shuo mi li**

**Xiang ai qing hai lang mang duo qing**

**Xiang jia lei bi hai de re li**

**Mei zuo hai dou xiang yi ge ni**

**Yan zhe hai an xian qu lu xing**

**Wo yao huan you mei ge ni**

**Cong chi dao yi zhi dao bei ji**

**Ai shang ni mei zhong feng qing**"

Erak turned to her, raising an eyebrow. What language was that? He vaguely remembered the soft sounds, without any really harsh pronunciations from the other Yreshians, so he supposed it was Yreshian.

,,**That's an annoying language,**" he grunted and Freya laughed a bit.

,,**Why?**" she inquired with an interesting note in her voice, and Erak shrugged while keeping an eye on the sun that went down in the horizon.

,,**We had to talk to some of your people when we pulled into the harbour, a few days before catching you. Their accent when speaking the international trade language was weird and made it hard to understand,**" he complained and Freya grinned.

Skandian ships didn't raise suspicion in Yreshia, because the country was too far away from Skandia, and therefore their raiding ships didn't come by Yreshia normally. Of course they were well-known to the army and the royal family, but the common folk didn't know anything about the Skandians if they hadn't heard about them from adventurers, or had seen them themselves, or knew someone who had.

,,**Is _my_ accent hard to understand?**" she teased and Erak allowed a smile to dawn unto his face. Freya really liked his smile. It wasn't beautiful or anything like that, it was the same tough and raw smile, that she had seen on Edel's face when she fought. It had a kind of strong energy about it, and it made Freya's heart feel at ease.

,,**No. I assume, as a princess, your accent has been taught away,**" he speculated and Freya giggled slightly as she nodded. In order to be a good political leader, she had to be completely understandable by all people, Yreshian and non-Yreshians. Therefore, she had been taught to speak many languages fluently, without even a hint of the annoying Yreshian accent. Edel had too of course, because she was another princess, but she didn't use it in political ways. She primarily did it to be able to talk understandably with the adventurers that came to Tian'anmen, the capital of Yreshia, and hear their stories.

,,**Your assumption is correct, Erak. Because of this I can speak fluently Yreshian, Nihon-Jan and Araluan, among other languages. But I am afraid I have never been taught Skandian,**" she told with a pleading smile and Erak grunted.

,,**I have no time to teach you**" he growled and Freya nodded understandingly, looking on the rowers. ,,**But someone else might,**" she said, letting her sentence end in a suggestive manner. Erak looked down at the rowers.

,,**We're sailors, Freya, not teachers,**" he ended the discussion and Freya shrugged. ,,**Then I guess I'll just have to listen carefully when we get to Skandia,**" she said with a smile, and Erak snorted, leaving her alone.

~X~

Edel groaned as her and Arajha walked through the darkness. She hated darkness, and had it not been for Arajha's rough fur beneath her palm, Edel would have panicked a long time ago. She kept her left hand on Arajha's back at all times, and the other hand was constantly on the hilt of Qichang zhi Jian. Darkness made her edgy, especially the damp and pushy kind of darkness that roamed in the tunnel. She felt like she was walking and walking, but not getting anywhere. Arajha purposedly had eyes that could see through darkness, and Edel began to understand why the merchant had suggested she bought Arajha for her sister way back then. There was no better guardian for a peaceful princess than the white tiger.

It was fierce in battle, kind in peace, had immense strength, could see through darkness, could smell and hear practically anything, and it was a brilliant pillow. Plus it was gorgeous to the eye. And most importantly, for Edel at least, it was a great sparring partner. And since she was terrified at heights, she used Arajha as transportation while Freya soar through the skies.

Edel wanted to get through the tunnel as quickly as possible, and that's why she was still walking many hours after they found the entrance. She felt sleep gnawing at her eyelids, and she became scared of blinking, thinking she'd sleep while walking if she did. Eventually it became too much and she made a sound to Arajha, that immediately stopped the tiger in it's tracks. She sunk to her knees and Arajha laid down behind her, letting the exhausted princess sleep with her back to the massive body behind her. Arajha executed a deep and relieved purr, telling Edel that the tiger was just as tired as her.


	4. Arrivals

_DISCLAIMER_: I do NOT own "Ranger's Apprentice" and the universe of the series. I only own the country Yreshia and it's citizens. All hail the mighty John Flanagan for creating the magnificent piece of art which is "Ranger's Apprentice"!

* * *

_Arrivals

* * *

_

Hallasholm was a strange sight. When Freya left Yreshia the first spring flowers had just broken through the snow, but here the snow was still laying on the earth in heavy layers. As the Windwolf, Erak's ship, pulled into the docks, Freya walked around near the railing. Everything was so white, it was unnatural. Freya was certain she'd freeze to death, and at that thought she rubbed her arms, which had many thousand goosebumps.

She looked around at the Skandians who walked around. They seemed to be used to the cold weather, and they worked as well, so she assumed they could keep warm. But a chick like her who was too weak or too tiny to do any real work, was freezing her toes off. As she swore at the Skandians in a non-lady-like manner in her thoughts, a huge weight was put upon her shoulders. Her back buckled in order to answer the weight, and she felt a strong arm be put around her to hold her up.

,,**Sorry. We're not used to have whimsy hostages with us,**" Erak said and Freya wrinkled her nose, looking up at the Skandian captain, who was, again, securing her footing by wrapping an arm around her. It had happened a few times the past couple of days, but it still surprised her when it happened. She looked at her shoulders, seeing the huge bearskin that Erak had draped around her, and she smiled slowly, pulling a bit on it, so it covered more of her arms.

,,**Thank you Captain,**" she said gratefully, and Erak nodded with a grunt, as he helped her steady herself, and the walked off to do whatever it is Captains do when the ship docks. Freya smiled absent-mindedly as she watched the huge man walk off. He had warmed up to her the past few days. She hadn't really seen a _smile_ smile from him yet, but he would smile for real at her in time. At least, that's what Freya hoped for.

,,**Freya! Oi, Freya, you can come down now!**" Freya turned around, seeing Svengal on the docks, waving at her. She giggled slightly, nodding and running down the gangway, not realizing that the gangway was slippery with snow, sleet and ice. And of course, she slipped in the mess. She screamed as she fell forward and Svengal quickly ran to her, wrapping his arms around her. She breathed out in relief, smiling up at the Skandian.

,,**Thank you Svengal**" she thanked and Svengal sighed deeply, messing up her hair with his massive palm. All the Skandians had probably gotten used to saving the little princess. She always fell over something.

,,**Freya, running is risky business in Skandia at this time of year,**" he pointed out and Freya shrugged with an apologetic smile.

,,**Sorry. I didn't think the winter was still this harsh here,**" she apologised and Svengal shook his head in disbelief. He had seen the spring spread in Yreshia when they kidnapped the princess, but he didn't think she had gotten out of the awareness that came with snow and ice.

,,**The winter is harsh here for many months,**" he commented and Freya nodded.

,,**I've heard that from adventurers, but I guess I've got to learn everything the hard way,**" she complained with a small smile.

,,**That's okay, chick, we'll teach ya!**" Freya turned around, smiling at her three other friends. Technically she had become friends with most of the crew of the _Windwolf_, but Keld, Thom, Svengal and Jenge were her best friends, and probably always would be... Though Erak was becoming a dearer presence to her over time.

,,**Thank you my friends. But I am afraid that might be a full-time occupation, and I am sure Captain Erak would not appreciate you guys hanging around me at all times,**" she said with a teasing note in her most carefree voice and laughter spread in the small group. And sure enough, a deep grunt from behind Freya made them aware of the Captain's gaze.

,,**I sure as hell wouldn't, now get to work, you lazy bunch of ladies! Not you, Freya,**" he groaned and Freya smiled innocently, standing idly by the sideline as the Skandians unloaded the ship. Apparently they had been on a plundering mission before kidnapping her, and the princess made a face at the many invaluables that was being brought from the ship. She felt sorry for the nobleman or noblewoman who had lost the many pretty things, especially a large chandelier with diamonds embedded into the golden material.

She was so happy that the Skandians had chosen to take her, and then just took off. Then again, they probably couldn't have taken anything from Yreshia that was worse than taking Freya. To Freya it would be more horrible if they had taken Edel, of course, but to the rest of Yreshia... Freya honestly thought Freya was a bigger loss for them. They didn't see Edel as she did. They didn't understand, that the only reason Freya was like this, was because Edel had always been there to protect her during their childhood.

Now Freya was alone, and more unsure of herself than ever. But she would pull through... For Edel as much as for herself.

* * *

It felt like days before Edel and her feline companion got through the tunnel. And it might have been too... They had to stop more than once, either because Edel needed nourishment, in the shape of the sad dried meat they had brought along or the almost empty water cask. And at times Edel also needed a quick rest, because of a specifically steep passage. Edel found herself envying Arajha's feline grace or amazing stamina more than once, and even more frequent thanking the heavens for granting the white tiger these amazing feats, or Edel would have tripped more than a dozen of times because of the suffocating darkness in the tunnel.

The smell of the darkness was cramped and filled with muck. It filled her with an uneasy, nauseating feeling, and she felt fear creep up her neck more than once, when she thought she heard another breath than her own ragged and the tigers calm and even. Edel was sure she would have panicked after five minutes in the dark tunnel, if not for Arajha's soft fur beneath her left palm and the hard sheath of Qichang zhi Jian. It felt reassuring to have a powerful sword at one hand, and a just as fierce beast at the other.

But all these worries seemed to evaporate from her body as they got the end of the tunnel. Arajha hissed and stopped in it's tracks. Edel reached out as an instinct. Her hand met a cold, stony surface and she understood that a boulder had been placed before this end as well... She felt sweat pool on her neck, wondering if Qichang zhi Jian would be strong enough to break a boulder from this angle. Earlier she could slice the boulder in halves, but that freedom was not given her at this time. She slowly pulled Qichang zhi Jian, making sure to not hit something accidentally. It would be most disagreeable if she made the tunnel collapse when they finally found the exit.

The fresh air that came in through the small cracks between the boulder and the actual exit of the tunnel gave her courage, and she put pressure on the tiger, which immediately went behind her, to not be in the way. Edel really sometimes wondered if Arajha could read her mind, or something... That tiger was too smart.

Edel closed her eyes, though it made no real difference whether the darkness was caused by the tunnel or her eyelids, but it was a habit in order to attain inner calm. She stood like that, eyes closed and deep breathing, until her hands stopped shaking and she heard no sound besides her breathing. Even Arajha's breathing was unheard.

Then, in a quick second, Edel opened her eyes and hammered her sword into the boulder, not uttering a single sound. It was a waste of energy to say anything. She felt her sword go deep into the boulder, like penetrating a mountain, and her muscles shuddered at the resistance the boulder added to the job. Edel groaned as she pushed Qichang zhi Jian further into the stone, and when there was no more pressure, her sheath was almost touching the stone. Only one quarter of an inch was visible of her sword, the rest was inside the boulder.

She prayed silently to all the Yreshian gods, although she had never believed in them. She just needed a good deal of luck for this to be possible. She didn't have the muscle strength to cut the boulder like this, and therefore she had never tried. She just hoped Qichang zhi Jian was sharp enough to do the trick. She turned around, her back against the boulder. She lowered her knees a bit, gripped the sheath which was now just about her shoulder, bit her teeth tightly together and prepared herself. This was going to be very hard...

Edel had trained until her knees bled and the skin on her fingers was scraped off from her constant attempts at improving her swordsmanship. She had trained until she didn't own a single outfit without holes, and she had broken so many limbs, she thought they had been beyond repair. But they weren't...

Edel had never felt as excruciating pain as the one her muscles were feeling now. It was like the pressure from pushing Qichang zhi Jian upwards, to try and cut through the boulder, was ripping her muscles from each other, like tearing in cloth. She was so happy she'd bit her teeth together, or she might have bit hole in her tongue or lip, the pressure was sure to make her teeth clatter if they could. The sweat sprung out on her face like crazy, and she groaned through her teeth.

Freya better be _bloody_ grateful when I get her back, Edel thought darkly, as she pushed her muscles further than she had ever done before. But she knew she couldn't do it. Her muscles were aching, her brain was clouding, and the loud, shrilling noise of the boulder, slowly being split by Qichang de Jian, was enough to give her goosebumps on every little inch of skin on her body. It was so hard to not give up... Perhaps just a second? A little second to give her body a rest... What could happen?

Freya's face popped into Edel's mind, and she groaned through clenched teeth. Her hate for the Skandians intensified, as if it was their fault all of this happened. It was... If they hadn't kidnapped Freya, her sister, her only true friend... If they hadn't kidnapped her, none of this would have happened. Through some kind of twisted miracle, she felt the strength returning to her body. With a last strain of her body, a strain she thought was going to tear her body apart, the boulder was severed.

As Edel fell to the ground, she saw a flash of white next to her, and with a huge roar from Arajha, the boulder was sent flying. Edel assumed it did anyway, since the tunnel was suddenly enveloped in a gentle light and a fresh breeze blew into it, easing her aching muscles. She groaned yet again, falling to the ground, her cheek smashing against the earth. She was so tired... Arajha walked to her, she could see the huge paw in front of her face. She felt the huge tongue licking her cheek, she felt the heat comforting her when the tiger laid down next to her and she felt the tears flow down her cheeks. She was going to ache so much tomorrow... She was going to be able to feel this for weeks, she was certain.

And with that fact in her mind, she went to sleep with a frustrated wrinkle on her smooth forehead and tiredness written in the very cells of her body. She was so tired, she didn't even had the energy to wonder about how the tiger had moved the boulder. She didn't even have the energy to worry about Freya, and usually that was her number one priority.

* * *

,,**I'm scared**" Erak looked at Freya through the corner of his eyes. He'd never have guessed it if the princess hadn't told him herself. Her back was straight, her eyes noble and diplomatic and a smile on her lips, that was as constant as her long, silky blonde hair and her electric blue eyes. And Erak hid yet another smile in his mind, in the special room he had created these past few weeks. He had hid all the smiles he wanted to give the young princess in there. All the smiles in the world wouldn't make her situation any better, and it would be better if she got some distance between herself and the Skandian crew she had befriended. Better for herself and for them.

Freya had never felt such fear before. When the Skandians kidnapped her, it was the shock and the surprise that made her fear the moment. Now, when she was so close to meet the man who ordered her kidnapped, her fear was another. It was a fear that witnessed of her uncertainty. And more than anything, she was afraid of separation. The Skandian crew of the _Windwolf_ were her only friends in this place, and if she could never see them again... It would be a living hell.

She just hoped this 'Ragnak', Oberjarl of the Skandians, wouldn't keep her locked away. She needed human contact, and preferably pleasant human contact...


	5. Hour of Desperation

_DISCLAIMER_: I do NOT own "Ranger's Apprentice" and the universe of the series. I only own the country Yreshia and it's citizens. All hail the mighty John Flanagan for creating the magnificent piece of art which is "Ranger's Apprentice"!

* * *

_Hour of Desperation

* * *

_

Freya was going crazy... She was locked up, despite all the crew members had told her, and it wasn't nearly as pleasant as when she had been 'locked up' at Erak's ship. Her 'cell' was a simple room, with completely bare walls, a bed, a fireplace and a window. The colours were mainly faded grey and a bizarre shade of brown, which looked close to green. Freya sighed deeply, pulling her knees up to her chest, resting her face on her knees.

She hated doing nothing. Her mind always wandered, mostly wandering to memories, and even more often to memories of Edel and Arajha. And this would, in turn, make her even more depressed. She groaned, annoyed beyond compare, and she felt a sudden urge to kick something. She was surprised, since she wasn't usually a violent person. She left that characteristic for Edel, who didn't hesitate in proving she deserved it.

Freya laid down on her bed, being grateful for the mere fact that the bed at least was a bit comfortable. She closed her electric blue eyes, letting her breathing slow and entering a sort of meditative state. She needed to be able to do something... She let her mind wander to her latest visit at Shigeru's, the emperor of Nihon-Ja. She particularly liked that man above many other regents of other countries. Shigeru just made so much more sense to her heart than any other man she had ever met. She smiled, unaware of this fact, and let her mind wander through memory after memory.

* * *

_,,**Freya! FREYA!**" The young princess, perhaps only three-four years old ran through the magnificent garden of Shigeru, the emperor of Nihon-Ja, being chased by her older sister. She giggled happily, leaping across a flowerbed. Her mother, father and the emperor smiled at the two children running around in a childish spasm of playfulness._

_Freya hadn't been to Nihon-Ja before. The two countries had been allies for many years, almost a century now, but this was the first time she had met the emperor in person. She liked him, and so did Edel, Freya knew. The emperor was hard not to like. His dark eyes, almost black, were almost glittering in silent laughter when he looked at them, and his dark hair was pretty in a different way then Freya's. The twins' hair was almost always called 'beautiful' or 'cute'. Shigeru's was different. His hair wasn't soft, but rough and yet still comfortable to the touch._

_Freya screamed in glee when her sister tackled her, and the princesses laughed with gasping breaths, their young cheeks flushed with energy. Shigeru smiled, looking at their parents._

_Their father was the typical Yreshian person. Dark skin, average height, a kinda chubby head, having some kind of child-like charm about it, and dark eyes much like Shigeru's. But his body wasn't like that of a child. He was very embodiment of authority, and his people loved him. And he loved the people, much more than himself. It was this general adoring of the people that made him a popular ruler._

_Freya knew her mother wasn't Yreshian, but she didn't know what she was. She had long, blonde hair, glittering eyes, dual-coloured, and pale skin. One of her eyes was blue, the other green, and her pale skin was like milk, with a spread of golden prickles on her cheeks. Her mother looked like an angel, nothing less. She was kind, generous, humble and could get accustomed to any situation easily. She wasn't frail, she was one of the strongest women Freya knew._

_,,**Well then, you had something important to discuss with me, Ron-san?**" Shigeru asked slowly. Their father, Long, had put out the initiative to this royal visit. Freya and Edel still found it amusing that Shigeru couldn't pronounce their names. Freya he could, though he put in a weak u-sound so it sounded like Fu-re-ya. Edel's was Ederu, and their mother, Elaizha, was E-rai-ja. Edel ran to her parents, sitting down on her mother's lap. Freya smiled and looked up at Shigeru. She pulled shyly at his robe and the emperor smiled kindly, sitting in a different pose, which would enable the small girl to sit on his lap._

_Freya giggled when she sat on his lap, since his long, slim fingers began playing with her blonde hair, which was already past her shoulders. Shigeru chuckled with his deep voice, and the sound made Freya think of a volcano. One could only hear the deep and powerful noise, but none the less knew that an extreme warmth was hidden behind it._

_,,**Ah, yes. Well, you see, Shigeru-dono~**" Shigeru interrupted him with a reprimanding finger in the air. He made a series of tsk-sounds, which revealed his displeasure at the polite tone in her father's voice._

_,,**Shigeru-san please. We are equals, remember?**" he reminded the Yreshian king and his queen, Freya's mother, giggled with her harmonic voice._

_,,**Forgive us, Shigeru-san. But have you thought more on the topic we discussed last year?**" she asked and Shigeru made a thoughtful sound, focusing his eyes on the golden locks his brown fingers was combing. Freya giggled again when it tickled her scalp and Shigeru smiled kindly, absent-mindedly putting an arm around the small princess' waist, making the child snuggle into his body with clear laughter._

_Freya opened her eyes, suddenly feeling tearful. She groaned again, sitting up and wiping away the tears. Shigeru was still a dear friend of the family and she actually missed him. Her family was supposed to celebrate the coming Spring festival with him. She had so looked forward to seeing him again... She licked her lips, wetting them in order to remove the sudden hoarseness that collapsed onto her.

* * *

_

,,**Oh dear... Why am I crying?**" she muttered to herself, sitting up again. She removed her tears with slim, delicate fingers as she tried to get a grip. What wouldn't Edel think? What wouldn't Shigeru think? They would think she was not capable of her position, unable to honour Yreshia and do exactly what she was expected to. Keep calm in any kind of situation, trying to get the most agreeable result out of any conflict. She nodded to herself as these facts came to light, and she suddenly felt less depressed, knowing Edel, her parents and lord Shigeru would be proud of her if she got out of this.

,,**Freya? Freya, are you in there?**" The voice made Freya looked up in astonishment.

,,**Captain Erak? What in the world are you-**" Her question was stopped as the door opened with a _click_, and Erak entered. The room seemed ridiculously small next to his towering figure and Freya had to smile. It was impossible not to.

,,**Why are you here?**" she asked kindly and Erak showed her a large plate with food. Freya's eyes brightened in glee. Of course they wouldn't starve her, and _someone_ had to bring her the food! She jumped up from the bed, walking to Erak. The captain eyed her suspiciously and Freya smiled up at him, knowing what was going through his head.

,,**I'm still an easy hostage, Erak. I won't try to escape,**" she promised and that made the jarl sigh, deeply.

,,**I know you won't. The problem is convincing Ragnak of that,**" he muttered in frustration. Freya felt her heart skip a few beats, an unknown sensation to her.

,,**You... You tried talking to Ragnak?**" she asked, so touched by this silent act of concern for her, that she thought her heart would burst. Erak, who didn't like being seen as a 'good guy' by the young Yreshian princess, grumbled in an annoyance and ran a large palm through his sandy coloured hair.

,,**Svengal and the others wanted me to. They like you a bit too much,**" he said, obviously dismayed, but even though he attempted to ruin Freya's good impression on him, it didn't help one bit. It might actually have made it better. Freya put the plate on her bed before using her hands to beckon Erak down to her. Erak, who didn't know anything about common etiquette, and even less about women, leaned down as she wanted him to.

This allowed Freya to kiss his cheek.

Erak stood up straight like a wooden plank and Freya smiled innocently, politely at him.

,,**Thank you Erak. It means a lot to me. For despite you might not have come up with the idea, you still listened to Svengal, Keld, Jenge and Thom, and did this for me. I am honoured.**"

Freya bowed to Erak with such grace and elegance, that Erak was thoroughly reminded just who was standing before him. If there had ever been any doubt in his mind, it was gone now. Before him stood Freya, the future Queen of Yreshia and a diplomat with no equal in the world.

And she didn't belong in front of him.

* * *

Edel and Arajha had just arrived in Sebbyl, one of the larger towns in Asrune. It was about halfway along their way to Ovetsburg, the capital city and largest port in all of Asrune. Edel yearned for a warm bath and some real food, so she had decided to stop here. The Great Ebb wouldn't set in for another month anyway. The Great Ebb made the ocean three metres shallower, and this revealed a large path of naturally made stones that connected Gallica and Asrune.

In History lessons, Edel remembered learning that the stones were all that was left of a great bridge, a giant construction tying Asrune and Gallica together. But this would have to be in ages so ancient that Yreshia wasn't even a unified country. That would be when Yreshia was still a myriad of small counties, each led by a different feudal lord. It would be from before the Age of the Great War, where all the feudal lords fought for dominion of the land from the Thunderous Mountains to the Glittering Shore, now known as Yreshia, and it would be from before the time where her great-great-and-so-on grandfather had won the war, unified the many feudal lords and created Yreshia.

That was so far back, Edel's brain hurt just by thinking of it. Kind of like if someone asked you where the universe ended. It was an impossible thought. Edel sighed as she returned to the discussion she was currently having.

,,**I'm terribly sorry, miss, but that feline creature CANNOT stay in the stables!**" The stable boy refused to let Arajha sleep in there, afraid she would eat the horses no doubt. Edel groaned, rubbing her temples.

,,**How many times must I say it! She is completely tame! She won't eat a live creature without the order!**" The stable boy wouldn't give in. Edel looked at him with thundering green eyes, and the boy showed fear. Well, he had damn good reason to!

,,**Look kid, either she sleeps in the stables, or I'm going to take her into the inn with me. Which do you think the innkeeper would prefer?**" Edel demanded, crossing her arms. The stable boy looked positively desperate. The idea of a large, feral white tiger inside the inn was just as bad as the idea of a large, feral white tiger inside the stables. Edel smiled a cruel smile.

,,**Let me ask him for you, I'm sure he'll approve of my idea and you'll lose a big tip,**" she said angrily, making a move to enter the inn. The last part of her sentence caught the boy's attention and he quickly grabbed her elbow. Edel looked back at him, a blonde eyebrow raised. He scratched his neck, moving some of his dirty, brown hair to the side and his dark grey eyes looked to the side, not showing enthusiasm concerning the tiger and it's apparent owner.

,,**A... A big tip?**" he asked and Edel smiled, nodding, glad something was going her way for once.

,,**Yes. If you let her sleep in the stables, just for tonight and without telling anyone, I will pay you triple the amount of my own room,**" she promised and the boy looked at her, doubtful again.

,,**Why can't I-**"

,,**Because some people would pay a lot for her fur, and I really want to keep this baby, you know? And,**" Edel stopped her speech to draw the Qichang zhi Jian from it's sheath, it's dark steel catching a small glisten of the lanterns. The boy stared at the sword, hypnotized by fear. ,,**... I **_**will**_** figure out if you tell anyone or take her yourself. And that wouldn't be pretty, now would it?**"

The boy shook his head, fearful, and Edel smiled, putting Qichang zhi Jian back in it's sheath. She nodded, satisfied with tonight's work. Arajha got a somewhat warm stable with lots of hay to sleep in and she got a hot bath, delicious food and a comfortable bed. She gave the boy his money, making the poor lad's eyes almost pop out of their sockles.

,,**Th-This is five times!**" he said in shock, but then regretting it. He obviously thought it was some mistake on her part and Edel smiled grimly.

,,**She needs food**" she said with a grin and the boy swallowed a large knot in his throat. Edel giggled, the most feminine reaction she had, and the boy actually forgot his fear for a moment, found the time to be astonished at how young Edel actually was. She couldn't be older than him, maybe even a few years younger. He would assume her to be about 13-14 years old.

Just between us, Edel was 15 at this time, but Yreshian folks tended to look more childish than their age would suggest.

,,**Not you, silly. There should be enough money there for both your payment and some thick slices of meat at the butcher's. And again – I will know if you don't feed her. She might eat you if she becomes **_**too**_** hungry.**"

Edel looked sternly at the boy, and Arajha mimicked this glare, only with a much more fearful promise in it's dark eyes: '_I suggest you feed me, kid, or I will enjoy snapping your body in half._' Edel really needed to learn that glare. She needed to remember watching Arajha when she used it.

Of course, Edel's orders were followed to the least detail. The boy actually bought more meat than the two extra amounts to her original triple could pay for. For he definitely didn't want to be that tigers night-time snack. Edel herself enjoyed an evening of carelessness. She decided to lock her worry for Freya away, just for tonight, since she couldn't do anything from here. Not for the next month. So she decided to have a good time for tonight, and then worry her hair off afterwards.

The food was excellent, but the Asrune women had always been good at cooking. Despite the harsh climate in Asrune, which was often covered by snow many months after Yreshia's own snow melted, the farmers in these parts had developed a special building, allowing them to grow crops indoors. It was truly an amazing invention, and Asrunian cooking was well-known in this part of the world. The bizarre environment added a truly unique taste to the crops.

That evening, when Edel had eaten and peeled off her dirty clothes, she was soaking in a warm bath, letting her tortured muscles rest. She sighed deeply, content, and looked up at the roof, which was barely visible through the steam of the bath.

,,**Freya... Please be all right**" she whispered slowly, letting herself drift off, though she was barely aware of herself pulling her body up from the hot water, dressing in a robe mandatory in each room and falling into the bed, her long, blonde hair spreading across the pillow.


	6. Enslavement

_DISCLAIMER_: I do NOT own "Ranger's Apprentice" and the universe of the series. I only own the country Yreshia and it's citizens. All hail the mighty John Flanagan for creating the magnificent piece of art which is "Ranger's Apprentice"!

_Enslavement_

To the surprise of Freya, Erak's attempts to soften Ragnak bore fruit. Not without her discrete aid, of course. Erak had been very surprised when she had asked him for a sling.

,,**What are you going to use that for?**" His voice was filled with suspicion, since he didn't thoroughly believe the young princess, when she had told him she wouldn't do anything to escape. Freya sighed deeply, aware of this fact, and she looked Erak square in the eye, patient.

,,**Before I tell you that, how about we make something crystal clear?**" she asked sternly and Erak raised a blonde brow, crossing his arms. For some reason he didn't like the princess' tone.

,,**I don't want to go back to Yreshia**"

Erak felt his jaw drop to the floor.

,,**WHAT!?**" Freya clearly enjoyed his disbelief, judging from the way her clear blue eyes glittered in the scarce light from the Skandian winter sun.

,,**I don't expect you to understand-**"

,,**DAMN RIGHT I DON'T UNDERSTAND!**" he boomed and Freya cowered from the shocking force of his yell. Erak's rage dispersed a bit at that movement.

,,**Whaddoya mean, you don' wanna go back to Yreshia!? If this is some kinda tri-**"

,,**It's no trick**"

Erak was shocked, to say the least, by the firm and honest voice Freya used. He stared at her, not believing what the princess was telling him. Why in the world wouldn't she go back to her country? It was beyond him. It was an impossible idea.

,,**Erak, I can do so much more for Yreshia if I stay here,**" she said with a pleading voice, asking him, _begging_ him to understand. Erak frowned, sitting on her bed and once again marveling at how unpleasant it was, compared to his own.

,,**Like what?**" he growled and Freya smiled, joyous to the core when Erak didn't just argue again.

,,**I can see how the Skandians work, what their politics are like, I can **_**learn**_** your **_**language**_**! I can learn so much from here. Yreshia has been a very... A very closed country for many centuries. This is it's chance to get involved with other countries than itself and Nihon-Ja,**" she pointed out and Erak stared at her, surprised.

,,**You've been to Nihon-Ja?**" Freya waved off his curiosity with a smile. That would be another story for another time.

,,**Yes, I have, but Erak, listen to me. If I can get the messengers to keep away, not give the ransom money to Oberjarl Ragnak, he won't have a reason to keep me locked up, right?**" she asked and Erak shrugged, in confirmation. Ragnak wouldn't keep the chick in prison if she wasn't worth any money.

,,**You'll be a slave instead.**"

Freya shrugged, combing her long, blonde hair. It had grown quite a bit in the month she had been a hostage in Hallasholm. When they kidnapped her, it had been little longer than shoulder-length, barely reaching the end of her back. Now she could sit on it if she didn't move it out of the way.

,,**Then I'll have that experience in my life as well. As long as he won't kill me, I still have a chance to get back to Yreshia some day,**" she said, not needing this discussion, and Erak knew she didn't want it, at all. But he had grown quite fond of the young princess in the two months she had been a hostage, at first the month on his ship and then the last month as a hostage in this dreadful cell. And letting her doom herself to a life of slavery wasn't something he'd let her do without a serious argument first.

,,**Freya, you can't handle life as a slave!**" Freya's eyes thundered with furious disagreement.

,,**Then I'll learn to handle it! I know it's going to be hard, but I **_**need**_** to do this, Erak! With or without your blessing!**" Freya was dead-set. Nothing Erak said was going to convince her to give up on her idiotic idea. And Erak wasn't late to get the message. He knew how determined Freya was. If she wasn't, he wouldn't respect her the way he did. He threw his arms into the air, standing up.

,,**Fine fine. How are you going to use the sling?**" he asked, wanting enlightenment. Freya's eyes beamed in her joyous smile, and she threw her arms around Erak's muscular frame, not even being able to get them half around him. Skandians simply were too large, there was no discussing it! Erak cleared his throat, in embarrassment, but none the less awkwardly patted Freya's back, in some way returning the embrace. It was certainly good enough for Freya, who pulled away, still beaming like a sun. She wouldn't have been able to go through with the plan had Erak not agreed, and he would realize that now.

,,**I'll use it to shoot down the messenger from here,**" she explained, and Erak looked, confused, at her. She gently pushed him, and though both knew she couldn't move him, Erak let himself be seated, knowing she wanted him to sit as she explained him the plan, step by step.

,,**You'll get me a sling, which I will use to shoot a hole in the messenger's wings from here. Yreshian wings are very light, and anything but wind will easily tear a hole in the fabric used to catch the winds and lift us into the air. A simple rock will do. I will have to ask you to bring me rocks though, since I can't get them myself-**"

,,**You witch, you tricked me.**" Freya laughed at Erak's crooked smile, happy he wasn't angry with her. Being called a witch she could live with, but having Erak mad at her, not having his company, _that_ would be highly undesirable. Erak was her only pleasant company these days, and as such, she valued his visits more than anything.

,,**Don't take it to heart, Erak, I won't do it again,**" she promised and Erak shrugged, not entirely believing Freya, but none-the-less accepting her promise. If one couldn't trust a promise from _Freya_, then no one in the entire world could be trusted.

,,**Anyway: You'll get the rocks for me, and I will practice. I know how the messenger has to fly in order to land here, so it won't be a problem to get the right angle. But when he has been shot down, I will need you, or anyone who won't kill the messenger, to deliver an envelope to her from me. I will put my tiara in the envelope, so she knows it's me, and I'll also write in Yreshian, since no Skandian alive can write it. It will tell her my plan, ask her to tell my parents and my sister, and also order her to get a new set of wings, and send the reparation bill to the royal army.**"

A sound, single clap of his enormous palms indicated Erak's agreement to the details of the plan, and Freya sighed, relieved. She wouldn't know how to do this if it wasn't for Erak, and she was happy he, to some extent, allowed her to do as she pleased. He didn't like it, but he let her do the thinking, and merely accepted being the pawn, if one had to use such words.

It didn't take long for Freya to get used to the sling. The Skandians used a much heavier one that she was used to, but it was acceptable. With a few tries she got the height just about right, and now, she just had to practice everyday, so she was ready for when the messenger would fly in with the ransom or a note telling where the ransom would be unloaded onto a Skandian ship. Freya didn't know how much of what Ragnak wanted in exchange for her. Did he want jewels, gold or Yuan, the currency in Yrehisa? Did he want enough so the messenger wouldn't be able to carry it? She was absolutely not sure.

The day where her abilities with the sling came, was quite normal at the beginning. Erak came into her room at dawn, as usual, and Freya was already sitting upright in her bed, smiling a goofy smile, as usual. Erak rolled his eyes, showing his astonishment at Freya's high spirits, but none the less having fun at the fact, as usual. He sat the breakfast in front of her, on the floor, and Freya, as usual, sat down, beginning to eat, as she and Erak started a conversation, as usual.

,,**You haven't been on a raid for some time,**" she commented and Erak shrugged. It wasn't the season, which he told her immediately following his thought. But Erak wasn't sure he would go on a Raid, with her stuck in this small cell. Svengal, Thom, Jenge and Keld weren't Jarls, and they were Freya's friends, so they weren't allowed inside the cell. Erak was. And if he didn't visit her, she would get no intelligent company what-so-ever. Just the mindless clattering of the plates put in her cell twice a day. And he felt sorry for Freya if that was all she had every day.

,,**There's a season for raiding?**" Freya's confused expression made a smile appear on Erak's face, and he began explaining the different factors counting in the art of raiding. Freya looked interested as he began telling her, how it was almost impossible to get out of or into Skandia in the harshest winter months, and that they had to plan accordingly. Freya found everything interesting, that was Erak's suspicion anyway. She smiled interested and even asked questions when there was something she wished further explained or where she pointed out a problem with the way they already did things. Her most peculiar problem, was the time difference.

,,**But, the world is vast. When it's winter here, it's summer another place, and while the winter is going on here, there is spring in Yreshia, just barely. There isn't much to plunder in the winter months, so there are some countries you won't be able to plunder, because the seasons won't match,**" she complained and Erak laughed. Freya surely was a rare treasure, that was one thing he was very sure of.

,,**Indeed, but we can't do anything about that, now can we?**" he asked, waving off her protest, but Freya looked insistent. Who knew, perhaps the young, intelligent princess would figure out a way for the Skandians to get more plunder. Ragnak would certainly take a shine to her at that, that was for certain. But Erak was pretty sure the only thing she was really interested in, was find a way to protect Yreshia from plunder. Skandians usually didn't travel as far as Yreshia to plunder, but they had gone so far to get her, didn't they? So technically, they were able to go to Yreshia, which was sure to be alarming the young princess.

As Freya thought of something, he wasn't sure what, he saw a peculiar shadow out her window. His eyes became slits in order to closely examine the weird bird, but with time, he discovered it was no bird.

,,**Freya, the messenger is here,**" he said surprised and Freya immediately jumped from her spot on the floor. She looked out, and sure enough, the Yreshian wings were not to be mistaken. The wings were actually a bamboo-frame, shaped as eagle-wings, the wings themselves made of a light but durable kind of leather, called Chibang de Mabu, Wing Linen. It was durable enough to not be broken while riding on the harsh winds, but a well-aimed rock could easily break the thin fabric. Therefore, Freya immediately picked up a rock and the sling, and went to her window. She turned her wrist in quick movements, making the cloth with the rock make a circular motion around the handle. Freya quickly did some math in her head, adjusted the angle, did some more math and put more strength in her swing, so the stone would gain the adequate speed. She waited a few seconds and the rock was sent flying.

The rock missed.

Freya wasn't surprised when the messenger immediately stopped riding on the airstreams, and flew a bit away from the castle. There were a few seconds of waiting time, before the Yreshian flag was suspended in the air, beneath the messenger. It was probably tied to her leftmost wing and now released to identify her to the Skandians. Freya wasn't stopped for that reason. While the white ocean of milk with the red Yreshian diamond in the middle, Freya put another rock in the sling and aimed, more accurately this time. It _had_ to work. She remembered the countless lessons Edel had given her in the sling, remembered the correct way to hold it, the way to control it's leap, and after half a minute, where the messenger flew around in the air, waiting for a signal that the Skandians knew who she was, Freya sent another rock flying through the air.

This one hit.

Freya sighed, relieved, and turned to Erak. He had watched interest and respect at the small exhibit of Freya's determination, and he had seen where the messenger fell, as he was supposed to. He turned to Freya, nodding and showing the envelope with her letter in. He also held the tiara in one of his countless pockets, because he would need to give identification, so the messenger would know that Freya had sent him.

,,**Be careful Erak. I think she is quite pissed at the moment,**" she asked with a innocent smile and Erak smiled crookedly. He sure would be pissed if he was shot down from that height, by a girl with a sling.

,,**I'll be careful. I'll see you later, Freya,**" he greeted, leaving the room. Freya looked after him, worried, electric blue eyes and she waved sheepishly after his retreating form, before her door was closed. Erak didn't look back, but if he had, he might have seen the lonely tear rolling down Freya's cheek.

And she _was_ pissed! The young girl was a newly-assigned in the Yreshian Winged Army and she had been given the very important task to get Freya back to Yreshia. But these Skandians were better shooters than she had ever thought. How could they have known where to shoot that stone!? It hit the area just between the controlling pole, where the pilots would put their legs and control the Wings' direction, and the reinforced first bone, a bamboo-stick stronger than the rest of the frame, which had the important job of keeping the Wings outstretched at every given time, in every kind of weather.

,,**How could they have known? That is classified military information,**" she muttered to herself, in Yreshian, but she immediately turned around, lifted her twin blades for defense. The Winged Army had limited weapon-use. Either twin blades, spears or staffs. Some of the soldiers stuck to martial arts, but the definite majority used some kind of weapon. Edel used a giant katana, but only she could lift that things. It was _extremely_ heavy! The girl's wide, brown eyes searched the area, and not before long had she found the clumsy man who had stepped on a twig, alerting her. She felt fear grip her small, shuddering heart. He was a giant... A Skandian, but still a giant. She retreated a single step and prepared to fly at him, showing him what she thought of his people's way of greeting a messenger from Yreshia, when he raised his hand. The tiara? How did he?

,,**Lady Freya has sent you?**" she asked in her very rusty Trade Language, and the Skandian nodded, answering in the same language. His accent was very _flat_ when speaking in Trade Language, she noted, not at all like her chirpy, soft accent, which made it hard for her to pronounce "L", "F", "Y" and "S" the way they were supposed to. ,,**Yes, she has. She gave me a letter for you, with an explanation,**" Erak said, handing the messenger the envelope. And not for the first time in the past months, he wondered. Was Freya really an Yreshian? Every other Yreshian had dark hair, dark skin and most were short and kind of chubby in the faces, but Freya was tall, slim, long blonde hair and pale skin. Not to forget the difference in eye colors. Freya had an almost electrical blue color, while most of the Yreshian folks had almost black or very, _very_ dark brown eyes.

The messenger deciphered the Yreshian drawings, which apparently was their textual language. To Erak, they made no sense at all, but it all seemed to dawn on the messenger, as much of the dark color in her face paled, and left her face a pale, rusty brown color. Erak scratched his neck in a curious manner. What in the world had Freya written in that paper? He knew the underlying message, but exactly what she had written, he couldn't figure out. He was sure it was impossible for any human not Yreshian to read those strange drawings. The messenger sighed deeply once she had read the letter for the fifth time.

,,**Fine. I will believe this ridiculous letter, and obey Milady's command. I will return to the court and let her parents know of her decision. You take good care of her now, Qinqie Shizhe, or the Yreshian people will declare war on the Skandians.**"

Qinqie Shizhe was not something Erak had heard before, and therefore he didn't know why the messenger called him that. He knew Freya most likely talked about him as such in her letter, but the meaning of the words were lost to him. But he nodded, and the messenger began the long, tedious walk back towards either a port or a path that would lead her to some kind of means towards Yreshia. Erak sighed deeply, turned around and began his walk back to Hallasholm.

,,**Whaddo ya know? Yer plan worked after all, Princess.**"


	7. Awaiting

_DISCLAIMER_: I do NOT own "Ranger's Apprentice" and the universe of the series. I only own the country Yreshia and it's citizens. All hail the mighty John Flanagan for creating the magnificent piece of art which is "Ranger's Apprentice"!

_Awaiting_

Edel _hated_ waiting. She wasn't known for her patience, not in Asrune, not in Yreshia, not _anywhere_. And now, she was put to the ultimate test of patience. She was to wait five months, _five months_, until the ebb came and laid bare the path from Asrune to Gallica across the ocean, so she could save her sister. More than ever, Edel hated her weakness, her fear of heights. And she hated Arajhas fear of water. It greatly limited their travel options. So for now, they had to wait. And this, Edel hated almost twice as much as heights.

,,**Arajha... I am going INSANE!**" the princess shrieked in an annoyed voice. A couple of heads turned at her Yreshian speech, but Edel didn't pay attention. If she had to notice every little turn of the head on the crowded Asrunian market, she wouldn't have the brain capacity to notice anything else... But then again, that's not saying much for Edel. The tiger was laying at her feet, lazily yawning and showcasing a most impressive set of fangs, which kept more than a few greedy and shady traders at bay. Edel sensed the absence of sympathy from her white companion, and she scoffed at this.

,,**Yeah yeah, you're patient, I know, but I am NOT! What in the name of Shangdi am I supposed to do with my time until the Great Ebb comes?**" Edel swore, using the name of the Yreshian deity as a means to emphasize her dissatisfaction. Edel stared at the great white tiger as it stood up, yawning as it did. It then proceeded to push her in the general direction of the inn. Edel let herself be pushed, unaware of what dark and evil schemes her companion had been brewing. It dawned on Edel once they reached Arajha's destination, and a wide grin spread on her youthful face.

,,**ARAJHA, YOU ARE A GENIUS!**"

Before them stood a bulletin board.

* * *

Edel was ready to try her first assignment. She was to get the money from a couple of robbers, who were taking toll money from the farmers entering the city. Edel grinned from her seat on top of Arajha, as the white tiger was running along the dirt road leading into the countryside. Soon they should see the robbers. The Asrunian countryside was covered in mud and snow, not a very heartwarming sight, and neither was the farmers, who were currently being threatened by the robbers for their hard-earned coins, for which they were hoping to buy rations to last the winter, which still had a tight grip on Asrune. Edel patted Arajha's front leg, making the white tiger dart to the right, and hid in the snow, with Edel sliding down it's side, hiding behind it. Asrune's climate made it perfect to hide in. If one was Arajha that is. And Edel in her current get-up. Her clothes were held in light brown and gray colors, which made her able to hide in Asrunian climate. At present, Edel was making her strongly green eyes into slits, in order to perfectly see the robbers. There were four of them. The farmers were a mother, a father, two teenagers and three little kids. This meant no use of Arajha, she would scare the young ones. Edel clapped her twice between her shoulders to tell her to stay, before walking back onto the path. She had hid Qizhang de Jian quite well, it was masquerading as a walking stick at present.

,,**Hey, leave 'em alone,**" Edel commanded in her Yreshian accent, and the robbers looked at her, clearly believing themselves to be MUCH stronger than the young girl in front of them. Oh, they should know what they were getting into.

,,**Shut up, kid,**" the oldest one, 30-40 years old, said. His dark gray hair witnessed of a tough life, probably a veteran soldier. Asrune wasn't famous for it's care for elders, and specifically not soldiers who couldn't fight properly anymore. His battle scars were impressive, especially a huge one, stretching from his left temple and down to his jaw. It's width was three inches! Edel was quite interested in what kind of weapon had left_ that_ mark. She actually almost felt sorry for the guy, living for battle, yet not allowed to fight for his country. But, well, as pointed out: _almost_.

,,**I won't. If you want to pick on someone, pick on someone your own size. Though **_**that**_** would rule out most decent-looking men in this sorry piece of land,**" Edel provoked and the robbers would have none of it. They drew their swords, if one could call those rusty pieces of steel-look-a-likes they were carrying around swords. Edel counted. It would be approximately seven seconds before they were in range, and she would use the element of surprise. Revealing her sword now would not give her the advantage. Better they thought they were attacking some harmless, half-witted girl. They would realize their fault soon enough.

If the bandits had any idea what they were getting into, they didn't show it. Actually, all of the robbers had sensed something different about this young girl and it had made them alert. However, they wouldn't tell their mates in case they were wrong, and then they would forever be mocked for being afraid of a little girl. So they were quiet. And they were utterly defeated.

As soon as they were all in range, approaching Edel in a circular motion, Edel lifted the huge 'stick' and it turned out to be a sword. Now, at _this_ point, the bandits _knew_ they had made a terrible mistake. Edel did not kill them however, she did not want a gory mess to frighten the children, and as such she hit them with the broad side of Qizhang de Jian. She swooped her blade out in an arch, effectively massing the bandits up against each other and sending them into the nearby tree, where they were knocked unconscious. Edel didn't know why this was a job, it was easy! Edel snapped her fingers, calling Arajha out and used her as a guard, probably scaring the life out of the bandits once they awoke, but no matter, it would serve the purpose of having them stay in one place. Without Arajha's fighting skills proven, the children didn't seem frightened by her, and the parents were full of respect, as they had heard of the young warrior princess riding on the white tiger. Edel promised to escort the farmers to Ovetsburg, protect against other bandits that could prowl the roads.

,,**Oh, thank you my lady!**"

Edel didn't quite feel comfortable being called 'lady' of all things, but it would have to suffice, she guessed. It wouldn't be a wise course of action informing them of her name, just in case her parents send out soldiers to bring her back home.

,,**Ow, my he-!**"

Edel had barely realized the bandits had awoken, until she heard them make loud noises, clearly scared shitless when they noticed Arajha was a fully grown tiger, and not a big pile of snow. Edel couldn't help but smile. Easy or not, these jobs were always fun.

Delivering the bandits to the authorities wasn't that much of a hassle. Edel had borrowed some rope from the farmers, and used it to tie the bandits together by the hands, so they walked in a line. With Arajha behind them, they didn't dare make a move, especially since they had heard Edel's order to 'kill on sight', if any one of them made trouble. One of the bandits had tried to play cool:

,,**You won't get the full bounty if you kill us!**"

Edel had smiled a cruel smirk, her green eyes glittering with sadism.

,,**I ain't doing this job for the money, pal.**"

This brief exchange had scared the bandits beyond belief, and therefore, they walked like polite school-children all the way to Ovetsburg, where they were handed in to the sheriff, and the farmers went to the market to sell their crops.

Arajha and Edel looked at each other, quite content, as the sound of money escaped from the leather pouch Edel repeatedly threw into the air and caught again. This was going to be a fun way to wait for the Great Tide. Beating low-lives up and even getting paid for it! Edel had found her dream job.

* * *

Freya didn't like this one bit. It had been about a week since she had shot down the messenger, but Ragnak hadn't made a decision yet. Freya hoped he would make up his mind soon, she was growing claustrophobic from being imprisoned in this room. She spend more and more time in front of the window, dreaming herself back home, and this routine of dreaming solitude was only broken by Erak's visits. Freya looked forward to them. Though the tall, muscular bear of a man still scared her quite a bit, he was the only person she could talk to, and he came on quite a regular basis.

A sudden sound identified the door being unlocked, and Freya turned around. A Skandian entered, but not one she knew. He had apparently been put on the duty of providing her with food for the day, since he carried a plate filled with food and a cup of water. He put these provisions on the bed, and got ready to leave.

,,**Thank you very much.**"

This sign of gratitude surprised the Skandian, and when he turned around, seeing Freya bowing for him, he was utterly confused. When he left the room, he couldn't help but think, that this girl was a nut-case. A complete and utter nut-case.

* * *

,,**Freya, it's me.**"

Freya jumped up from her bed with a big smile on her face, as Erak entered the room, and Christmas lights appeared in her azure eyes, when she saw Svengal behind him.

,,**Sven!**" she cried with delight, and jumped into the arms of the massive man. The Skandian laughed in a booming fashion, which made Freya practically jump up and down, since his chest obviously _had_ to shake like an earthquake, as he had to have enough air in his lungs to laugh.

,,**Hey chick. You doin' okay?**" Svengal asked kindly, petting Freya's head. Freya was quite certain Svengal didn't mean to put quite so much force in his careless move, but his hand weighed so much, Freya's knees was forced to buckle, and she almost fell, had Erak's arms not shot out and held her up.

,,**Thanks Captain,**" Freya said with a relieved sigh, and Erak nodded.

It had been weeks since Freya's little stunt with the messenger, and the Oberjarl hadn't exactly been in a pleasant mood. He had watched for a new messenger for hours every day, and with each passing uneventful day, his mood darkened. He didn't know it had been Freya who shot the messenger down. He thought it was some sort of mean trickery, since the Skandians didn't use airborne projectiles as part of their artillery.

Erak had come to inform Freya of her fate, since Ragnak had gotten impatient, and decided to not wait for another messenger. But Erak chose to delay the inevitable a bit, and brought Svengal with him, to please Freya if even a little bit, to brighten her mood.

But he couldn't be pleased with it. Freya smiled and laughed as he had wanted, because he brought Svengal, but the heavy burden placed on him wouldn't let go. Freya had wanted this initially, but Erak still didn't like the idea. As it would turn out, Freya wasn't as ignorant as Erak would have liked.

,,**Did it work? My plan?**" she asked, and Erak frowned, having forgotten how observant the young woman actually was. Much about the princess had changed. Her hair had grown longer and it wasn't as vivid as it had been, bags had appeared under her azure eyes and her overall appearance was dirty and it was clear to both the Skandians her condition was far from perfect, but her eyes hadn't grown less insistent and her smiles were still brilliant and cheered them up. Erak didn't like admitting, that Freya had grown to mean just as much to him, as she had to Svengal.

,,**Yeah... It did. Ragnak has decided to make you part of the slaves here at the fort,**" Erak replied, and Freya breathed out in relief.

,,**What is there to be relieved about, Freya! A SLAVE! It's laughable! You won't be able to make it as a slave!**" Svengal was in a thunderous mood, but Freya calmed him down by aiming a well-placed kick to the knee. Or, he didn't calm down, he just kept the volume down to the level of a human being instead of a twisted being of the netherworld.

,,**It's better than me being killed, isn't it?**" she asked with a very nonchalant voice. You wouldn't think she was talking about the possibility of her murder. Erak had to admit, of the two ideas, slavery and execution, he preferred slavery. At least there, he could be of some help to Freya. Erak couldn't recognize himself anymore. Did he _really_ just think, he wanted to be of some help to this girl? What kind of witchery had she cast upon him?

,,**Not by a long shot!**" Svengal complained and Freya blinked, confused.

,,**You want me to die?**" she asked with a hidden smile, and Svengal quickly waved his hands back and forth, in prompt denial.

,,**No, definitely not, but I don't want ya to work here as a slave either!**"

Freya couldn't help but smile at Svengal. He was sweet, to worry like that. Freya truly felt privileged, to have made friends so far from home. Freya turned around, looking at Erak who looked just as tormented by the idea as Svengal was. Freya smiled.

,,**Well, the decision has been made, and I'm fine with it. Instead of acting like spoiled children, how about you tell me something about the situation? How is the rest of the crew, and what does being a slave entail?**"

The Skandians both sighed, resigning themselves to their fate of being informants of the Skandian ways to the small Yreshian girl. They started out with the more pleasant topic, how the rest of the crew was doing, and Freya squealed with glee when she heard, that many of the crewmen were worried about her. Erak could see the difference in how Freya acted around him. He wasn't as much the Captain of her abductors now, as he was her friend. Freya had probably acted like this around Svengal and her other three friends for ages.

,,**The others wanted to come too, but you can't quite picture five of us Skandians fitting in here, can ya?**" Svengal asked with a grin, and Freya quickly shook her head, immediately agreeing. It would equal to having five Arajha's in the room. It was impossible, simply impossible.

Soon enough though, the pleasant topic ran dry, and the two Skandians had to inform their Yreshian friend of slave life. She should expect to be whipped if she was disobedient, she was most likely to work in the kitchen as she was a woman, and she was to sleep in the kitchen together with the rest of the slaves. They informed her of how she should behave in front of the Skandians during dinnertime and if they talked to her, they told her of Skandian customs and they warned her to _never_ talk to the Oberjarl or any Skandians in a meeting with him.

Freya was a bright girl, and as such she absorbed it all, even asked questions to get them to elaborate on some things, which she found curious. This was how the three friends passed a few hours, and then Erak ordered Svengal back to the ship. It was time for the prisoner to meet the Oberjarl.

Freya followed Erak closely, making sure she did not fall behind, which was a job in itself, seeing as Skandians seemed to fancy taking one giant step instead of three small. And therefore, Freya had to practically run to keep up. Eventually the maze of 'small' corridors, as Erak called it led into a huge room, a giant dining table in the middle, and on an elevated platform at the far end of the room, was a throne fit for a giant, a strategy table and several expensive-looking items. Sitting on the throne was a Skandian, much like Erak. His beard showed signs of aging, but even though he no doubt was at least double the age of Freya, maybe even triple, he still had an amazing aura of strength and authority.

,,**Is that the slave?**" his voice boomed, and Freya fell to her knees at the intensity of his eyes. She bowed to him, remembering Erak's voice, telling her to carry herself with as little royal presence as possible.

,,**It is. I'll take her to the kitchen,**" Erak said, grabbing Freya's arm and lifting her to her feet. Erak began dragging Freya with him, and Freya could feel how he attempted to soften his grip, without showing it to the Oberjarl. Freya stumbled multiple times, finding it quite impossible to keep up in this position. Freya was aware of the gaze of the Oberjarl, and she briefly turned her face, looking him directly in the eyes.

Ragnak widened his eyes briefly at the contact. Her eyes were stern, calculating. Nothing like the obedience he saw from her mere seconds ago. She might be more trouble than she was worth, in the end.


End file.
